Emergency-valve for sprinkler systems.



No. 882,822. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

G. A. GRAY.

EMERGENCY VALVE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JI TLY12.1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. GRAY, OF KANSAS CITY; KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO BERTRAM W. BOXMEYER, OF

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

EMERGENCY-VALVE For. SPRINKLER 'srs'rni rs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application .flled July 12, 1;)07

Patented March 24, 1908.

Serial No. 383,527.

- To all whom it may concern.

. consists in certain novel and peculiar features Be it known. that I, CHARLESA. GRAY,

citizenof the United States, residin at Kan-' sas City, in the county of Wyan otte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency- Valves for Sprinkler Systems, of which the following is a,specification.

This invention relates to emergency valves for automatic s rinkler heads, and my object is to produce a device of this character whereby the water of an overhead sprinkler system can be quickly and easilycut ofl in the event that'the plug is blown out or knocked ofi, it

being wel known that the escape of Water fromsuch cause frequently results in a greatdamage to goods in stores and warehouses equipped with such system. 7

A further ob'ect is to produce a device of this characterw ich can be easily and quickly secured in osition on any of the approved types of sprinkler heads in use. J

- A still further object is to produce a device of this character of simple, strong, durable,

and chea construction.

With t ese objects in view the invention of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to theaccompanying drawing, in

.Fi re 1, is a central vertical section of a bodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a front 7 view of the same. Fig. 3, is a side view of a modified construction of the valve.

In the said drawings, hindicates the tubular portion of the sprinkler head for attach- .ment to the service pipe, not shown, 2 is'the usual arch formed integral with and bridging such tubular portion and provided at its up- ,per end with a perforated distributing cap 3 of the usual type. Ihe drawings illustrate thehead in the condition it is in after the plug has blown out of has been'knocked ofi.

--pressi le washer 7 of.- somewhat greater he emergency valve for closing theupper end of the tubular portion is constructed as follows-:-4 is a bar rovided with a: depending lug 5 and a soc et 6 in its underside contiguous to said lug, and said socket is equip ed with a rubber, leather or other comdiameter than the bore ofthe tubular portion.

Projecting upward from-the bar above the socket is a pair of ears 8, and one or more pins 9, the ears of the construction shown in igs. 1 and 2 being forward of the center of the tubular portion, while in the construction shown in Flg. 3, they are rearward of said center. Pivoted to between the ears at 10 is a lever 11 provided at its upper edge with laterally projecting wings 12 and depending from said lever are one or more pins 13, the type of construction shown in Fig. 1 embody: ing a pair of pins 9 and 13 respectively, proj ectin upward from the bar 4 and downward from ever 11.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the

gaged by a similar spring 17 which cooperates with spring 16 in forcing the lever upward at possibilitymf accidental disits outer end, whereas in Fig. 3, the bail 14 when engaged with one of the notches 15 tends to prevent such upward movement of the lever, and in both constructions the opposite end of the baris preferably provided with a hole 18 for convenience in suspending it from a hook or other 'support, not shown, when not in useb i In Fig.- 2, the loop or arch of the head is of the ty e in most common use, though said figure y dotted lines indicates the form of a dlfierent head used to a considerable extent in overhead sprinkler systems, it being noted that'in the latter construction the upper portion of the arch is contracted so as to barely that of the flanges 12:

. Assuming that the head has blown out or has been knocked off and water under pressure spurts up throughthe head, any one by grasping the handle end of the attachment and pressing the lever downward toward the bar can slipthe attachment through the arch until arrested by the contact of lug '5 with the tubular ortion 1, this action dispos' the washer directly overthe upper end 0 the tubular port-ion. As this is accomplished exceed in span the width of the leverplus y the pressure on the handle is removed and the spring or springs force the lever upward until it bears firmly against the upper portion of the arch, the sprin or springs thus serving to clamp the was er firmly down upon the head and arrest the flow of water. With the construction shownin Fig. 3, the same action is performed except that the device is slipped into osition when the lever is raised and then the atter is pressed downward until it engages the upper end of the head at a point forward of the pivotal point of connection of the lever with the bar, it being held in this position by swinging the bail over the free end of the lever until it engages one of the notches 15, it being understood that by having a plurality of such notches, a variation in the height of the arch is accommodated.

In the event that the head is of the type shown in full lines Fig. 3, no lateral adjustment of the valveis necessary because it fits snugly between the side ortions of the arch,

\ whereas should the arch e wider at its lower end such lateral adjustment might be necessary if it were not for the fact that the laterally projecting Wings of the lever fit snugly in the contracted upper-portion of the arch and therefore make it lmpo ssible for thevalve to he slipped into position without the proper incidental registration of the washer wit the tubular portion of the head.

. From the above description it willsbe apparent that I have produced an emergency valve for automatic s .rinkler heads, possessing the features of a vantage enumerated as desirable, and I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction shown and 'described as obvious modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is j 1. A valve for sprinkler heads, comprising a bar provided at one side with a compressible washer, a second bar pivoted to the first out of alinement with the axial center of such Washer and at the opposite side of the firstnamed bar from the said washer, and provided at its free end and opposite side from the first-named bar with notches, a spring interposed'between the'bars to press their free ends apart, and a pivoted bail carried by the first-named bar and adapted to fit over the free end of the other bar and engage one of its notches. v I

2. The combination with a sprinkler head, comprisln bridging t e bore thereof, of a valve, comprising a bar to roject through such arch a tubular portion and an arch and equipped at its lower side with a com-' pressible, washer to bridge the bore of said tubular portion, and a lever pivoted to said bar, out of alinement with the center of the bore of the tubular portion.

3. The combinat1on with a sprinkler head comprising a tubularportion, and an arch bridging the bore thereof, of'a valve comprising a bar to project through said arch and equipped at its ower side with a compressible washer to bridge the bore of said tubular portion, and with a depending lug to engage said tubular portion to prevent the bar being slipped too far through the arch, and a lever pivoted to said bar, out of alinement with the centerof the bore of the tubular portion.

4. The combination with a sprinkler head,

comprisinga tubular portion and an arch bridging the bore thereof, of a valve comprising a bar to project through such archand equipped at its lower side with a compressi ble washer to bridge the bore of said tubular portion, a lever plvoted to said bar, out of alinement with t and lever to clamp said parts respectively firmly against the upper end of the tubular portion and the upper art of the arch.

= 5. A valve for sprin ler heads, comprising a bar provided at one side with a compressible washer, a second bar pivoted to the first outof alinement with the axial center of such washer and at the opposite side of the firstnamed bar from the said washer, and p'rovided at its free end and opposite side from the first-named bar with notches and atthe same side but opposite end with laterally projecting wings, a spring interposed be tween the bars to press their free ends apart,

and a pivoted bailcarried by the first-named e center of the bore of the tubular portion, and means engaging the bar 

